This shift is more than a footnote in the industry’s ongoing affordability crisis. Manufacturers like Tesla, Mazda, Hyundai, and MINI are adapting in real time, rolling out pared-down trims and repackaging equipment to trim thousands off the MSRP.
Tesla’s base Cybertruck now ships with fewer premium features — a move that shaved off nearly $10,000 by replacing all-wheel drive with rear-wheel drive and leather with cloth.
“Front-wheel drive, base stereos, cloth seats with various manual adjustments, and analog gauges are in,” said Robby DeGraff, manager of product and consumer insights at AutoPacific. “The array of standard equipment found on entry- and mid-level trims may need to be reexamined as consumers tighten their belts in the face of economic uncertainty.”
AutoPacific’s recent survey of over 14,000 new car intenders sheds light on a growing cohort of buyers seeking value without compromise. These shoppers, with budgets ranging between $25,000 and $35,000, are typically Millennials or Baby Boomers earning around $50,000 annually, living in the suburbs, and driving less than 20 miles a day.
Many are purchasing their first new car after holding onto an older model for over a decade. Their ideal vehicle? A fuel-efficient sedan or compact SUV with cloth seats, a modest screen, manual controls, and proven safety tech — but without the costly bells and whistles.
While comfort and convenience features show clear divergence in demand between shoppers below and above the \$35,000 price point, safety remains a common priority. Interest in core safety technologies—both passive features like front and rear parking sensors (29% vs. 32%) and active systems such as rear cross-traffic alert with automatic emergency braking (30% vs. 32%)—is nearly identical across both groups.
However, the divide becomes more pronounced with advanced driver-assist technologies that assume greater control of the vehicle. Buyers in the \$25,000–\$35,000 range are notably less interested in these higher-cost systems. Adaptive cruise control with active lane centering, for instance, draws 6 to 7 percentage points less interest from budget-conscious shoppers, regardless of whether it includes stop-and-go functionality.
“It’s good for models in that price range to offer some fancier, lower-demand features,” said Ed Kim, AutoPacific’s president and chief analyst, “but those should be optional and limited to higher trim levels,” especially for buyers downsizing from pricier models.
As consumers continue to feel financial pressures, manufacturers may need to rethink trim levels, offering modest base builds with optional upgrades rather than packed standard packages.